1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an in-bed state detection system for detecting how a human is situated in a bed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In hospitals, facilities for the aged, etc., it is often necessary to know whether a person is in bed or out of bed and wandering somewhere, for example. Therefore, nurses or the like may be required to make rounds to rooms accommodating one or more beds.
Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Publication No. 4-30504 discloses an apparatus for monitoring whether or not a person is in bed. This publication discloses a plurality of pyroelectric infrared sensors and thermopiles which are disposed by the bedside and horizontally to the pillow.
However, there has not been proposed any effective method which is intended for a high-quality care based on various states of sleep of a patient for detecting whether the patient (hospitalized or otherwise) on a bed is fast asleep or lacking sleep, or in an abnormal state (e.g., having strokes of a certain disease, convulsion, etc.).